The Truth About Disability: What Society Gets Completely Wrong

There are so many myths when it comes to disability and disabled people.

These myths are what causes the main problems for disabled people and not the disability they have themselves.

We are often led to believe that most disabled people are born disabled. WRONG !! Only 17% of people are born with a disability.

This means that 83% of people acquire their disability at different ages.

Some will have an accident, some a long term illness and others will be like me and wake up disabled.

People with disabilities are less educated or cannot understand you.

WOW ! How can this be true ?

People start talking to my Mum now instead of me because she must know what I want to eat more than I do. It's an instant change.

But Scott your different, your not dyslexic !! No, but Walt Disney and Alexander Bell were.

Okay, but what about someone who is Deaf !! Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb.

But it's always non disabled people inventing things for disabled people !! Are you for real ? You obviously haven't heard of Ralph Braun, the inventor of battery powered wheelchairs and wheelchair lifts.

This could go on and on and I think one person who shows what can be done when acquiring a disability is the actor Michael J Fox who made 13 films and numerous TV shows between being diagnosed with Parkinsons and announcing it publicly.

We look after our wheelchair friends and colleagues, we have put a ramp in.

Well done - but what else have you done?

Only 8 percent of disabled people are wheelchair users, have you thought about them?

What about sensory rooms?

What about ensuring your disabled toilets are accessible?

What about BSL (British Sign Language)?

What about hiring disabled colleagues? Is it any wonder why only 58% of people disclose their disability to their employers? (Office of National Statistics).

Accessible housing is something very personal to me.

I can tell you how the lack of it impacts me. Not only has the lack of accessible housing left me homeless living in a hotel.

But it means I can't visit my Mum or my Dad as both of their homes are not accessible.

My children homes are not accessible.

Imagine what it's like living in a property where you are confined to just one room?

I've done it and I know many others who have. But, I can present the problem to you, but Katy Deacon is someone who has some of the answers. Make sure you check out her blogs on here too.

With disability comes racism.

Yes, I'm calling that.

Don't give me that you has seen black or brown disabled people speak publicly and in the media etc.....

It's not about that, it's about it being harder for black and brown people to come through. It's about it being unjust that the colour of someone's skin determines the opportunities for them.

Representation is so important for disabled people. But this does not mean that every image has to be a white disabled person. I was looking for stock images to use using a piece of expensive software (which I did not purchase). The only people in wheelchairs were white.

I've looked for stock videos of black and brown disabled people and there are far fewer.

So how can disability be represented correctly when it's easier to find images of white disabled people?

Disabled people don't go out.

Ask yourself why disabled people may not go out? Is it because your venue is inaccessible?

Is it because your staff are not welcoming to disabled people?

Is it because transport to your venue is inaccessible?

This photo shows three people in a Manchester bar, the table obscures the third wheelchair. Disabled people spend money too and disabled people will return to places that are accessible.

Look after us and we will look after you.

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I could continue writing forever on this subject. But I'm really interested to hear what you would add to this list or if you disagree with any of the points I've raised

Please use the comments section and let me know